The National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) has expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s failure to fulfill its commitments aimed at improving the lives of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
Speaking during a press briefing held at their offices in Bukoto, the NUDIPU chief executive officer, Esther Kyozira, criticized government officials for making well-thought-out commitments at international forums but struggling to implement them.
“It is worrying that the government makes good commitments in favour of persons with disabilities, but these remain mere words if they are not acted upon. We are deeply concerned by the growing list of commitments which are always not met and hence leaves the lives of persons with disabilities in jeopardy,” Kyozira said.
She emphasized that the disability fraternity is not “seeking favours” but demanding the protection of the fundamental human rights of PwDs as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Persons with Disabilities Act, Chapter 115.
NUDIPU’s concerns come ahead of the third Global Disability Summit (GDS), scheduled for April 2-3, 2025, in Berlin, Germany. According to the GDS website, the summit addresses several priority areas, including the transformation of labor markets to be more inclusive, advancing accessibility in urban development, and ensuring equitable health systems for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Discussions will also be held on inclusive education, financing for disability-inclusive programs, and reducing the digital divide. The first two summits were held in 2018 and 2022 in London and Norway, respectively.
Following the commitments of 2018, Kyozira commended the government for enacting the Persons with Disabilities Act and the Mental Health Treatment Act. She also noted the review of the 2006 National Policy on Disability and increase in budget allocations for special grants for PWDs from Shs 3 billion to Shs 16 billion.
UNFULFILLED PROMISES
Whereas Uganda has made more commitments for PWDs over the next three years, Kyozira said there are several promises by the government from the last two summits that remain unfulfilled.
“The commitments on the finalization of the development of the National Inclusive Education Policy, the National ICT policy for Pwds, and formulation of disability employment quotas and publication of the annual reports on the status of employment of Pwds have not yet been implemented,” Kyozira said.
She added: “The government committed to equip at least 40% of the orthopedic workshops across the country, but the situation is appalling in the medical facilities.”
Unfulfilled commitments under the ministry of Public Service are: failure to develop a recruitment and costed policy in the accommodation of PWDs, inclusion of sign language, and other reasonable packages for meaningful inclusion, and conducting a needs assessment of PWDs within internally displaced communities, refugee settlements, and host communities within Uganda.
Ahead of the 2025 summit, NUDIPU urged the government to prioritize the implementation of commitments made in 2018 and 2022 before making new pledges.
Kyozira also called for regular consultations with PWDs and their umbrella organizations to ensure effective implementation and monitoring of government programs, including the global disability commitments.
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